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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. court — for sport
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. court — of a king
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. board — a committee
  10. file — a line of people
  11. board — to get on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. file — a document
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. court — of law
  18. pit — a hole
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. present — there
  21. bear — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com